Veretti’s Dark Vengeance

looking at her, with a shocked expression.

As they left the church he came closer, murmuring, ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes, I was just thinking of Antonio suddenly. You think I don’t miss him just because I laugh and fool around- but you’re wrong. If you only knew how wrong you are.’

‘Perhaps I’m beginning to understand,’ he said gently.

‘He used to talk to me about this place, the lovely beach and how we’d walk along it together some day. Would you mind if I didn’t come back in the boat with you? I’d like to stay here for a while.’

‘I don’t like leaving you alone,’ he said, frowning.

‘I’ll be fine. I’ll join you at the palazzo tonight.’

‘All right.’ She could tell he was unhappy about it, but he had to yield.

She bid everyone goodbye, promised to see them again that evening, and let Lionello kiss her hand. Then she stood watching as the boats drew away.

Although she’d never been there with Antonio she found that the beach was a wonderful place to remember him. Here she could be alone, walking along the golden sand that seemed to stretch for miles, listening to the tiny waves, carrying him in her heart.

I wish you were really here with me, she told him. How we’d enjoy the looks your male relatives are giving me. You’d just love that, and you’d egg me on to flirt with them, but then we’d sweep out together at the end, and you’d enjoy that more than anything. Oh, caro, I miss you so much.

It was strange, she thought, how the passion she’d found with Salvatore, after waiting so long, had done nothing to diminish her longing for Antonio. There was more than one kind of love.

Love. The thought halted her. She’d loved Antonio. With Salvatore she resisted the word, although it somehow crept up on her.

No, she didn’t love him. He had merely shown her how to enjoy another side of life. It wasn’t love, and there was no need to worry about it.

Having settled that, she made her solitary way across the island to the landing stage and caught the next ferry back to Venice.

At the Palazzo Veretti the banqueting hall was set out in splendour. Two long tables ran down the centre of the great room, set with the finest china and crystal.

Helena had dressed conservatively for tonight, in a gown that was long and black with a modest neckline. It was intended to be respectable, but it didn’t hide any aspect of her beauty because nothing could do that.

She was seated between Salvatore and his grandmother, from whom she could sense a barely veiled hostility. The signora professed great affection for Antonio’s memory and great pleasure in meeting his widow, but her eyes were cold as they flickered over Helena. She did her duty gamely, but she was glad when the dancing began and she could escape.

She gave the first dance to Lionello, then to his son, then to one of his grandsons, a nineteen-year-old youth who sighed over her so blatantly that she wanted to laugh. He was followed by an endless stream of others, all competing for the right to hold Helen of Troy in their arms. Franco, the man who’d taken bets at the auction, glided past, saying, ‘I’m going to make a fortune out of this.’

‘Franco, don’t you dare!’ Helena told him.

‘I can’t help myself,’ he pleaded outrageously.

‘Well, make sure you give something to the hospital,’ she called as he danced away.

She wasn’t sure exactly how he managed it but he was soon surrounded by a little crowd.

Antonio seemed to be haunting her today. He’d been there on the Lido Island and now he was here again, reminding her of evenings like this when he’d glowed with the pride of ownership.

‘And I did you proud, didn’t I?’ she whispered.

‘What was that?’ her partner asked sharply.

Startled, she looked up and found herself in Salvatore’s arms.

‘I excused your last partner who was making an exhibition of himself, and you,’ he said crisply. ‘You barely noticed.’

‘I’m sorry-I was thinking about something else,’ she said hastily.

‘Something or someone?’

The cool authority in his voice annoyed her.

‘Don’t interrogate me,’ she snapped. ‘My thoughts are my own, although you don’t seem to think so. You’ve been in an odd mood today.’

He knew it and was annoyed with himself for letting his feelings show, something he normally found it easy to avoid. All day he’d sensed people looking at her, and then at him, enviously, for everyone knew of their association. Once he would have taken those looks as his due, and enjoyed escorting the most beautiful woman. Now he hated to see other men gazing at her. He knew what they were thinking, how they were imagining making love to her, and as far as he was concerned they were trespassing on his private property.

‘Why are you scowling at me?’ she asked, trying to speak lightly.

‘Because I’m not Antonio.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Unlike him I don’t relish the sight of you flaunting yourself before other men.’

‘How dare you?’

‘Don’t act the injured innocent. You know what you’ve been doing.’

‘If I have, I’ve been doing it for him, as a kind of farewell.’

‘A very cunning excuse, but not good enough. He might have put up with it but I won’t.’

‘You won’t what? You have no property rights over me, Salvatore. I do as I like, with your permission or without it. Don’t try to order me about, because I won’t stand for it.’

His grip tightened, drawing her closer. ‘You won’t-?’

‘It’s been a long day. I think I’ll be going soon.’

His mouth hardened. ‘Thus snubbing me in front of everyone.’

‘Nonsense. It’s late, I’m tired. I couldn’t stop Franco taking bets, but I told him to give some to the hospital-’

‘After, or before, your cut?’

Helena stopped sharply. ‘How dare you? I’m leaving right now.’

‘I would prefer it if you didn’t.’

‘Tough! I’m going, now!’

‘Do you think I’ll allow you to do that?’

It was an unwise thing to say and he knew it as soon as the words were out of his mouth. She knew it too, for she surveyed him, a wry smile playing on her lips.

‘Why don’t we put it to the test?’ she asked. ‘I’ll head for the door, you try to turn me back and we’ll see which one of us comes off worst.’

‘Strega!’ He’d called her a witch before, but then it had been a compliment. Now it was venomous.

‘Goodnight, Signor Veretti. Thank you for a pleasant evening, but I must go now. I’ll say my goodbyes to your family, and then I’ll leave.’

‘You will not!’

‘How are you going to insist?’

For a moment she almost believed that he would make a fight of it there and then, but his control exerted itself just in time, warning him not to allow fascinated onlookers to sense any division between them. But his eyes were full of another warning, to her. This wasn’t over, and she had better beware.

Formally he offered her the use of his boatman to convey her to the hotel.

‘No, thank you,’ she said gaily. ‘I fancy the walk.’

‘I’ll escort you-’

‘No, I will-’

‘I offered first-’

The clamour of young men was loud, and Salvatore seized her arm, drawing her close to mutter in her ear.